AP Government
Franking Privileges Mail newsletters, surveys, and other correspondence Personal Staff Average Senator-30 staff members Privileges and Immunities Except treason, felony, and breach of peace they are free from arrest Speech and Debate Clause Make allegations in connection with duties and not be sued for libel/slander
Most of the work is done in committees and subcommittees Provide a way for specialization; flow of House depends on Focus on one area or topic and develop expertise The power of committees Final say on legislation Legislators defer to expertise If a bill has been considered by a standing committee for more than 30 days, the signatures of the majority of the House (218) on a discharge petition can pry a bill from a committee
Standing Committees: Most important Pg. 373 Most standing have subcommittees Given a specific are of legislative policy jurisdiction Committees that control spending are the Appropriations Committee and Ways and Means Want to be on these committees; control $$ Seek seats that handle issues that are matters of special interest to their constituents
Select committees Temporary committee; limited time period; investigate a public problem at the time Joint committees Members from both the House and Senate (economy; taxation) Conference committees Special joint committees dealing with the exact wording of bills House Rules committee traffic officer in the House; limit on debate, how a bill may be amended
Seniority System: member of majority party with most service is given preference when a committee chair is selected Up until the 1970s; chairs were guaranteed by safe seats (just because of years of service would get to be a chair) Change to secret ballot; changed who would become the chairs Members of standing committees are appointed by steering committees
House of Representatives (party affliation**/more wins) Speaker: presiding officer in the House Official leader of the majority party in the House Preside over meetings Appoint members of joint/conference committees Schedule legislation for floor action Points of order; parliamentary procedure Refer bills to standing committees Can vote; but usually only do in case of a tie Integrate congressional and presidential policies and changes Current: Paul Ryan
He has a lot of power in the House due to AGENDA SETTING https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=- BK3Lro8Xd4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta 2DFQ6Gd6o
Majority Leader Elected by a caucus of the majority party to foster cohesion among party members and to act as spokesperson for party Influences the scheduling of debate and acts as the chief supporter of Speaker Minority Leader The candidate nominated by Speaker by a caucus of the minority party Party cohesion Helps in recognition of members on the floor; can help schedule bills: but no REAL power here
Whips Assistants to the majority and minority leaders Assist the party members in passing along information down from the leadership to party members and by ensuring that members show up for floor debate and cast their votes on important issues Conduct polls Inform leaders on doubtful voters Pressure to support leaders 1 st step to higher leadership
1/4 th of the house; doesn t need to be so complex As per constitution, the VP is the leader of the Senate President Pro Tempore; presides over in VP s absence Majority party with the longest continuous term Real Leadership: Majority and Minority Leaders Recognize first in debate, control scheduling of debate, influence the allocation of committee assignments, influence the selection of other party officials, and select conference committee members
The Constitution says he is the leader of the Senate... but he only votes to break ties...
He takes VP Pence s spot if he is unable to cast his tie vote
I have all the real power in the Seante!!! Why is this the
Power of Minority leader... Threaten filibuster kill other bills
Majority and Minority Whips Act as liaisons with the White House when the president of their party, cooperation between committee chairpersons, and seek to facilitate the smooth functioning of the Senate with unanimous consent Majority and Minority leaders are elected by caucuses Senate whips; same as House; communication within the party on platform positions and try to ensure that party colleagues are present for floor debates
Best predictor of a member s vote is party affiliation Party leadership tries to build cohesion and agreement among members through the activities of party caucuses and conferences Crossing Over ; Across the Aisle Cue-Taking Model: members of Congress make decision by checking with house key colleagues intend to vote (people they feel are like them)
Each law begins as a bill, introduced in either the House or the Senate A money bill must start in the House Referred to a committee Subcommittee Scheduled for debate (House; sent to HR 1 st ) Conference committee Approved by both chambers Sent to the President Pg. 380
Another form of Congressional Action; differs from a bill in how it is proposed and debated Approved by both chambers; signed by the President; has the effect of law To amend the constitution would go through the amendment process
Power of the Purse; starts with the House Budget and Impoundment Act of 1974 Required the president to spend the funds that Congress had appropriated, ending the President s ability to kill programs by withholding funds Preparing the Budget Operates on a Fiscal Year (Oct-Sept) Executive Branch develops Office of Management and Budget; advice from Economic Advisors and Dept. of Treasury Sends to various dept and agencies; bargaining from other Departments
OMB one of the most powerful agencies Spring Review: requires all agencies to review programs Fall Review: looks at budget requests, and cuts them back
Take the Budget then to Congress Two Steps Congress must authorize funds to be spent Authorization: a formal declaration by the appropriate congressional committee that a certain amount of funding may be available to an agency After funds are authorized, they must be appropriated The passage by Congress, of a spending bill specifying the amount of authorized funds that actually will be allocated The appropriation of funds occurs when the bill is passed
When forming a budget for a given year, Congress and the president must take into account revenues, primarily in the form of taxes, as well as expenditures to balance the budget If spending exceeds the amount brought in by taxes, the government runs a budget deficit Easy to slip spending proposals because so much money in play; earmarks; pork-barrel legislation
First Budget Resolution: Sets overall revenue goals and spending (May) Second Budget Resolution: (Sept) set binding limits on taxes and spending for the fiscal year beginning in Oct. 1 st Bills passed before that date that do not fit within the limits of budget resolution, are supposed to be changed Between 1978 and 1996, Congress did not pass a complete budget by Oct. 1 st Congress does not follow its rules
Budget resolutions are passed late, and when they are passed, and when they are passed they are not treated as binding In each fiscal year without a budget, every agency operates on the a basis of a continuing resolution Allows the agency to keep doing whatever it was doing the previous year with the same amount of funding A temporary funding law that Congress passes when appropriations bill has not been decided by Oct. 1 st